The present teachings relate to a set of components that enable fluid delivery, and specifically to selectively pumping fluid through a variety of fluid flow pathways to achieve, for example, but not limited to, specimen engineering.
According to the United States Department of Health and Human Services, there were approximately 125,000 individuals in the U.S. alone awaiting organ transplant as of early July 2015. Wait times vary by organ, but substantial percentages (and in some cases the majority) of individuals must wait for years before a needed organ may become available. As of July 2015, it was projected that about 15% of these individuals should expect to wait for a period of five years or longer. Over this waiting period, among other concerns, individuals may be subjected to reduced quality of life, disruptive and demanding medical treatments, and increased mortality rate.
Even after an individual receives a transplant, risks and burdens for the individual still exist. Transplantation may be coupled with the possibility of rejection. To help prevent this, medications are required to suppress the immune system for the rest of the individual's lifetime. Rejection may still occur and suppression of the immune system comes with its own suite of concerns.
The sciences of specimen engineering and regenerative medicine present possible solutions which may alleviate such waitlists and problems. One promising technology is the process of decellularization and subsequent recellularization of a specimen or group of specimens to create compatible specimens for transplant. A biological specimen may be a grouping of cells and the associated extra cellular matrix including, but not limited to a tissue, group of tissues, organ, organ system, or group of organs. With this technology the potential exists, e.g., for an organ which is compatible with a patient's immune system to be processed on demand into a transplant for the patient.
In general, a specimen or group of specimens such as an organ may be decellularized, ex vivo, with a number of fluids, enzymes, and chemicals. These may include biological grade detergents which can lyse cells. Cellular remains may then be carried away. Left behind is an extracellular matrix which may serve as a scaffold that may be recellularized with new cells that may be compatible with the target patient. The recellularized extracellular matrix scaffold may be a viable specimen or organ which can then be transplanted into a patient. The term, ex vivo, is defined herein to refer to activities that occur outside of a body and is inclusive of the term in vitro.
This technology is still, however, maturing and many needs which would allow the benefits of the technology to be realized have yet to be met. Currently, a need exists for a system and process which allow decellularization/recellularization procedures to be performed on a large scale with speed, efficiency, precision, repeatability, versatility, and flexibility. Additionally, a need exists for a system which is simple to set up and configure and requires little to no maintenance/cleaning. These needs may be at least partially met by a potentially disposable or durable system including a sealable enclosure or container for the target specimen or group of specimens.